by Debra Lee
She couldn’t move. It was as if she’d been struck with a heavy object. The powerful blow left her temporarily dazed. Did she hear him right? Her limbs and other body parts tingled until she finally regained the ability to move. To feel once again the fluttering in the pit of her stomach as their eyes met.
“Did you… Did you just ask me to marry you?”
Once again his lips burnt into her palm. “Will you be my wife, Jacqueline Bertoni?”
Please, not now, Jackie thought when that inner voice returned. But there it was, warning her again that things needed to slow down. Like before, she completely ignored it when she answered him. “Oh yes, I’ll be your wife, Marcus DeMario.” You will be my protector, she kept to herself. Nothing more needed said.
Marcus’s strong hand pulled her from her seat. He led her to the bedroom where they undressed one another. Kisses replaced the warmth of each piece of clothing slowly being discarded.
On the bed, the kisses continued. Each taking their time to taste and touch the other thoroughly before Marcus entered her. With his entrance, they became one mass of heat that created a rapid rise in temperature. It seemed inevitable when the combustion hit a spectacular explosion sent both skyrocketing into orbit.
Marcus sat on the edge of the bed staring down at the precious creature that lie sleeping. Cold suddenly enveloped him. When he pushed himself onto his feet and began pulling on his trousers, he wasn’t sure if he was shivering from the cold of the night against his nakedness or from his thoughts.
Fully dressed, he opened the door. As he started to leave the bedroom he glanced back to the bed. A soft sigh escaped from Jackie as she rolled to her side.
He pulled the door shut behind him and swallowed the lump in his throat. A painful sensation gnawed away at him as he climbed the stairs.
The cool mist of the night broke over him as he walked to the edge of the deck and rested his arms on the railing. Small hills of liquid crashed against the side of the boat. The sound of the splashing disturbed his train of thought. The night before the sound soothed him, washing away his troubles, but not this night.
He knew he could convince her to help him. He expected she’d protest at first. But in the end, she’d agree. He’d make the offer too good to resist. And even though he knew he had no alternative but to go through with it, the decision didn’t come without more inner turmoil.
Jackie Bertoni had created feelings to emerge in him no other woman had. As he wandered back down to the bedroom, he believed he was falling in love for the very first time. And it scared the hell out of him.
A tickling sensation over her right cheek, then her nose and other cheek, reached inside Jackie’s sweet dream, bringing her to a state of semi-consciousness. When the wet warmth covered her lips she became fully aware. Spontaneously, her arms circled him, her fingertips pressing into his bare back to pull him down on top of her.
Another round of urgent lovemaking and Jackie looked up into his eyes and gave him a satisfied smile.
“Do you always wake your guest so pleasurably?”
“Only you, baby.”
He planted a kiss on her forehead before rolling off her. Fumbling in the darkness, he reached over and pulled open the top drawer of the nightstand where he retrieved a pack of American cigarettes.
Jackie declined his offer of one and he lit one for himself and inhaled deeply. As he rested his head back on the pillow, he remained silent, anticipating Jackie would say something. But instead, she cuddled closer against his side.
As he blew three smoke rings into the darkness, he contemplated starting a conversation or just allowing her to fall back off into dreamland. After the fourth ring, he made his decision. He had to talk to her. After all, that was why he’d returned to the bed. But when she responded to his kisses with kisses, the planned talk slid by the wayside. From somewhere within he found the strength to fight the passion about to explode inside him again.
Rising on his elbow, he leaned over to the nightstand and flipped on the light. Once he’d placed his pillow upright against the headboard, he rested his back against it and began. “I have a favor to ask, Jackie.” He glimpsed the curiosity mounting in her expression as he reached over to the nightstand and stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. “I want you to hear me out before you give your answer, okay?”
Jackie was on her belly with her upper body resting on her elbows. “My lips are sealed until you tell me you’re finished.”
“Good. You see, I have a friend meeting me here tomorrow. He is an American. An extremely influential man in America.” Marcus took a few seconds, noticing the eagerness in her eyes for him to continue. So he did. “Each time he comes for a visit, he brings me a very special gift. I’m afraid I have yet to give him one that is as remarkable. So you see that’s why it’s imperative I give him something that will make that kind of lasting impression. Are you with me so far?”
“I think so. But where does my part come in?”
“I’m getting there,” Marcus answered with uneasiness. But before he got to her part, he needed to let her know how much he cared for her. His fingertips raked through the blonde curls that fell over her right shoulder before cupping her chin in them as he leaned forward and kissed her with meaning. “You are the most precious thing I have ever known,” he murmured.
“You are pretty precious yourself,” Jackie made known as the fluttering in the pit of her stomach began all over again.
“I’m in love with you, Jackie.”
A blanket of heat covered her. Her stomach did somersaults. Turning over and over again and sending exhilarating vibrations throughout her entire body. Now she heard herself shouting at that voice inside her head that it was wrong. She’d been right. He loved her. He was experiencing all the spectacular feelings, just like her.
“Oh, Marcus, I’ve fallen in love with you, too.”
They kissed again. A long, passionate kiss that left Jackie feeling cheated when he pulled back. He had to get them back to the conversation before he did something as stupid as change his mind about the decision he’d made earlier.
“Do you remember what we were talking about?”
With her head cocked to one side she snickered slyly. “You were telling me you love me and I was telling you—”
“Before that,” Marcus interrupted with. He refused to get sidetracked.
Jackie suddenly realized this thing about giving a gift to the American was very important to him. Because she wanted to please him she became as serious as him. “I remember. You want to top the American’s gift when he comes tomorrow.” Their eyes met. “Do you have something in mind?”
Marcus reached for another cigarette. He dropped his lighter on the floor twice before he was able to light the cigarette. Jackie sensed his nervousness. She knew it had something to do with her. Strange, unexplained thoughts began invading her mind. “Does this gift have something to do with the favor you need from me?”
Marcus wet his lips. He found it more difficult than he had thought it would be to get out the words. “Yes. Jackie love, you are sensational looking. On top of that, you are the best in bed.” He watched her blush. But before she had a chance to respond verbally, he continued before he lost his nerve. “I know a week with you would be impossible to top.” He saw her smile become a bewildered look. “He’s a great guy. He’ll treat you exceptionally well. He’ll probably even leave you with a remarkable gift when the week ends.”
“You’re joking, right?” Jackie interrupted his babbling because his serious tone was so convincing it scared her.
“No, Jackie. I wouldn’t joke about something like this. It would break my heart if you couldn’t do this one favor for me. All I’m asking is that you spend a fun-filled week with him.”
“You want me to sleep with him, don’t you?”
“Only if you both feel it’s something you want. I’m sure he’s had a lot of experience with women. He probably knows ways to bring you pleasure that I haven’t e
ven heard about.”
“I don’t believe I’m hearing any of this,” she shouted as she sprang off the bed and ran into the bathroom. She slammed the door behind her and made sure she turned over the lock. A ball of anger steamrolled through her before the gush of tears came. As the flood waters washed her cheeks, she fell to her knees. Her body trembled until the sound of the powerful knocking on the door reached inside to save her from drowning in her tears.
She sniffled several times. Using the backs of her hands, she dried her cheeks as she slowly raised her head. The continuous knocking pounded inside her head.
“Go away.”
“Come on, Jackie. I’m so sorry. Please open the door?”
“I need to be alone for a while.”
She heard his footsteps grow softer until they were gone. She shivered as she pushed herself to stand. What was she going to do? How could he profess he loved her and in the next breath ask her to sleep with another man? Papa never had. This time when she shivered it wasn’t from the cold of the night.
She grabbed her new nightgown off the hook on the back of the bathroom door and slipped it over her head. As she let it slide over her breasts, she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror.
Her eyes were red and the area around them swollen. But she still saw a beautiful young woman staring at her. Okay, so maybe he really did fall in love with me, with that face. But why did he want to share me? The question caused her more grief. She looked at the expensive nightgown he bought for her. Maybe it was just his nature to be generous. And this American sounded like someone Marcus thought a lot of. Then it hit her.
The American meant more to him than she did. She didn’t understand it, but she became jealous. And her dreadful performance was a sure way of losing all of his affection to the American. And even after what he was asking of her, she wasn’t prepared to let go of that affection.
She climbed to the upper deck, spotting Marcus leaning against the railing. His gaze fixed on the lights and noises on Capri. He didn’t see or hear her. She sensed his thoughts were miles away.
“Marcus…”
He whirled around, filled with disbelief.
“Jackie,” he called as he rushed to the top of the stairs where she stood. He took her in his arms. “Oh, Jackie.” The perfumed soap scent of her hair intoxicated him with desire. When he scooped her up in his arms and began his descent of the stairs, he didn’t need her to tell him she’d made a decision in his favor. He knew she would do what he wanted. He didn’t understand why or care. He just wanted to make passionate love to her until dawn.
Chapter Seventeen
Marcus stepped out of the speed boat and turned around to lend a hand to Jackie. She walked next to him on the cobblestone sidewalk in the direction of the outside café. But Marcus sensed her resistance.
“You okay, babe?”
She stopped abruptly. “I don’t think I can go through with this, Marcus.”
“Of course you can.” He turned to face her. His hands grasped hold of her upper arms. “You said you loved me.”
“I do, but I—”
“If you love me, sweetheart, you’ll do this. Just meet him, okay?”
“And at the end of the week you’ll be waiting for me?”
Marcus hugged her tight. “I promise. And then we will go to Rome and be married just like I said.”
His fingertips gripped her chin to tilt it upward. The second their eyes met his lips covered hers. When he dragged them away and their eyes once again met, Jackie fell in love all over again. Anything he asked of her she would grant him.
She smiled bravely. “A week is such a long time. I will miss you.”
“And I you,” he said, the sincerity in his tone genuine.
This time when they kissed, it was Jackie who pulled away. She had only gotten a glimpse of him, but now she saw it was Papa.
A surge of fear shot up her spine. She didn’t want to let Marcus see her panic. But she couldn’t let Papa see her.
“Something wrong?”
Her attempt to conceal her fear left her without control over the way she had suddenly paled. “Yes. No. I feel a little lightheaded. Would it be okay if I returned to the yacht?”
“I suppose. Roberto could bring the boat back for my American friend. That is if you don’t mind introducing yourself when he joins you.”
Jackie had almost forgotten Marcus told her he offered the yacht to his friend for the week, explaining he had reserved a room for himself and Roberto on the island. “I don’t mind,” she told him when she did. But she knew she’d rather do that than be seen by Papa, who for now had his back to her.
The long goodbye kiss ended and Jackie fought back tears as she steered the speed boat away from the dock. Away from Marcus who stood waving from shore.
***
The jet hit turbulence and Jackie shot up in her seat. Her eyes wide open. It took her a few seconds to collect her thoughts and realize she’d fallen asleep. Once her breathing leveled, she peered out the window next to her.
The darkness sent an eerie sensation through her and she eased back into her seat. She’d dreamt about the day she met Marcus. The wonderful lovemaking that followed and then the favor Marcus ask of her. Seeing him wave to her from the shore of Capri that day sixteen years ago would forever be embedded in her memory along with what happened next.
The instant Roberto left her alone on the yacht, a chilling wind blew over her. But she didn’t feel it. Her body became numb as she stood on the upper deck, staring toward shore. Her blonde curls slashed at her face as the fierce winds of an approaching storm whirled by. A wall of water crashed against the side of the boat and caused it to rock, nearly knocking her off balance. Feeling resurfaced in her limbs. She pulled her jacket tighter to her chest and went below.
She finished changing out of her blue jeans and into one of the new dresses Marcus bought her when she heard the speed boat.
Her nerves drew together and knotted in her chest so tightly that the pain had her gasping for air.
“Stop it,” she ordered herself. How bad can it be? After all, it’s only a week. Then, she’d have the rest of her life to be with the man she loved. The thought gave her tightened nerves minor relief.
She’d reached the top step when her eyes saw his, a soft blue shade. When he smiled down at her, the wrinkle lines around his mouth and his face faded over by Papa’s. She blinked several times to get back the vision of this stranger, getting drenched from the sudden downpour.
“I’m getting wet out here. Do you mind if I join you?”
His request for permission to get out of the weather moved her to respond instantly. “Yes, of course,” she sputtered, quickly stepping aside to make room for this stranger on the stairs.
In the confined area, Jackie got a whiff of him. A mixture of expensive cologne and alcohol filled her nostrils as she led the way to the cabins below.
She walked to the center of the living room and took a deep breath before turning around in time to see him put down his suitcase. As his fingers let go of the handle and he straightened, their eyes met once again. A brief, nerve racking moment of silence fell over the room.
“I’m Desmond Sinclair. And you must be Jacqueline. Am I right?”
Jackie folded her hands together in front of her waist and swallowed hard. “That’s right. My name is Jackie Bertoni.”
“Your English is excellent,” he complimented as he started in the direction of the portable bar.
“Thank you.”
“Can I get you something, Jackie Bertoni?” he asked as she watched him pour a double shot of bourbon for himself.
“No, thank you.”
He gulped his drink and banged the empty glass on the bar top. After refilling his glass he glided toward the sofa, giving a slight grunt as he fell onto the leather cushion. “I know you’ve claimed that spot in the room, but wouldn’t you feel more comfortable sitting?” He patted the cushion next to him. “Come on, take a load of
f. I promise I won’t bite, honest.”
Jackie realized she must look pretty silly the way she stood frozen in the center of the room. But then, she really didn’t care how she appeared to him. She had no desire to please this man who reminded her more and more of Papa.
“Marcus told me you were shy. And don’t get me wrong; I didn’t want a blabber mouth. But a little conversation would be nice.”
The mention of Marcus reminded her of why she was with this stranger. Not wanting to disappoint the man she loved, she joined the stranger on the sofa.
“What would you like to talk about, Mr. Sinclair?”
“Let’s start by dropping the formal stuff. Call me Desmond, okay?”
“Okay.”
He grinned. “Do you know you’re a popular girl,” came out more as a statement than a question. And as he said it his free hand patted the top of her bare knee.
Jackie jerked her legs away from him, making his hand slide off her. As it did, she gave in to her curiosity. “What do you mean popular?”
Desmond eased back in his seat, keeping his hand to himself this time when he spoke. “There’s a guy showing your picture around the island asking if anybody has seen you. You’re not in some kind of trouble with the police, are you?”
“Of course not,” she exclaimed truthfully. But she’d be in serious trouble if Papa found her. She knew he was the one showing her picture and it terrified her.
“I suppose I already knew that. Marcus has been around long enough to know a mistake in this business can be fatal.”
Jackie didn’t have the slightest idea what he was talking about. She didn’t want to know, but thought it unwise to remain in the dark. If she was to become Marcus’s wife, she should at least try and understand his business.
“I’m afraid you’ve lost me. How can making a mistake exporting wine and making movies become fatal? You do make movies in America, don’t you?”
An amused chuckle came as he tilted his glass to his lips and took a swallow of bourbon. “That I do young lady. Some good ones and some not so good.”
